When you enter the village of Lirac from the direction of
Tavel, you will notice a path leading to the Sainte Baume. This grotto was
originally used as a refuge during times of war or as a shelter for workers
and hunters.

In 1647, a resident of Lirac named Joseph Queyranne
discovered, in a small crack in the rock, an image of the Virgin holding
the Christ child in her right arm. This discovery led the archbishop to
order the construction of a chapel and to give a name to the statue: Notre
Dame de Consolation (Our Lady of Solace). Joseph Queyranne, who apparently
recovered from a type of epilepsy after his discovery, made a vow to live
in the cave as a hermit. A hermitage was built, then enlarged in 1712. People
came to the chapel to pray for the healing of the sick. Some time later,
suffering from loneliness, the hermit returned to the village. The parish
promised to make a procession to the Sainte Baume three times a year to
compenstae for the broken vow.

A large façade blocks the enterance to the grotto. A staircase gives you
access to a vaulted hall, at the end of which you can see a water tank that was
used by the hermits. On either side of the stairs, there are two rooms, each
one lighted by a window. A very small spiral staircase takes you to the upper
story, where you can see the room which was once used as a sacristy.